By The UNCHARTED® editors · 4 min read
Deserts blanket over a third of the Earth’s surface, yet an immersion in one of the great ones always proves otherworldly and enriching in unexpected ways.
1st Annual Global Safari Awards
Think “safari” and deserts most likely don’t jump to mind. But some of the most textured adventures are found in the most pared down spots on earth: Deserts come hot and dry, semi-arid, coastal, and even freezing cold ( Antarctica, the largest desert on Earth). Far from boring, barren places, they offer surreal vistas, extreme colors, soaring dunes, peaceful tranquility, and astonishingly starry skies.
Soar over these stark landscapes in charter planes, ride by camel cart to campfire dinners, learn rich cultural traditions, and camp under the stars while nestled into a dune. These are five of our favorite UNCHARTED desert experiences.
Chile: Awasi Atacama
A thirsty coastal desert strip sandwiched between the Pacific Ocean and Andes Mountains, the dissonant terrain of the Atacama Desert might induce whiplash. Jump from dunes and salt plains to landscapes so Mars-like that they’re favored by NASA for testing outer-space technologies. No wonder it’s described as being like no other place on Earth.
The 12 suites of Awasi (the only carbon-neutral luxury lodge in the region) are in the tranquil town of San Pedro de Atacama, an ancient village with dirt roads and adobe homes. Venture out with your private guide, 4x4, and cycles to spot grazing llamas, flamingos, and quirky vicuñas. Awasi boasts an observatory in a nearby area devoid of light pollution, making for world-class stargazing.
India: Mihir Garh
A sandy castle rises out of the desert at this Outpost, designed to mimic a traditional Rajasthani fort: Mihir Garh means “Sun’s Fortress.” This is an apt accommodation for your foray into the Land of the Kings, and it provides a royal taste of desert life as a luxurious basecamp for Mawari horserides and camel-cart excursions to Shikar dinners around the campfire.
The Thar is the most populated desert in the world, and there are opportunities to take village excursions, have lunch with a local family, and experience cultural ceremonies, while visiting with the Bishnois, a Hindu community known for protecting wildlife, like the rare Black Buck antelope.
Namibia: Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp
The Skeleton Coast may include a windswept beach landscape littered with shipwrecks, but the ominous-sounding landscape is surprisingly bursting with life. From this Outpost, sunrise and sunset game drives through the Palmwag Concession promise sightings of animals who have adapted to a seemingly inhospitable desert habitat, including elephants, lions, giraffes, and plains game like Hartmann’s mountain zebra and springbok. On a day trip from the camp to the coast, you’ll examine one of those eponymous shipwrecks and meet the region’s most famous residents — its colony of Cape fur seals.
The camp’s solar-powered tents blend into the scenery, flanked on two sides by striated mountain peaks and overlooking a stunning valley along the Hoanib River. Open terraces allow you to take it all in, perhaps with a glass of wine or as a dreamy backdrop to a soothing massage.
Australia: Longitude 131
It’s a powerful combination: one of Australia’s best lodges, dropped right into one of its most awe-inspiring locations. The white-peaked tents of Longitude 131 look out to the sacred Uluru monolith in Australia’s Red Centre, and activities revolve around Aboriginal heritage and artwork. Bike, hike, fly above, or take camel rides in the vibrant red rust, spotting wildlife like emu and thorny devil lizards.
Fifteen tents with floor-to-ceiling windows bend around a campfire, while meals at the Dune House feature indigenous and modern cuisine. Opt for the premium Dune Pavilion for exclusive views of both Uluru and the domed rocks of Kata Tjuta.
Botswana: San Camp
The crusty Nwetwe Pan in the Kalahari Desert makes for a gorgeously desolate setting that attracts wildlife to the nearby watering hole. Meet curious meerkats, spot brown hyaena, and take game drives where you’re sure to see wildebeest, zebra, ostrich, and maybe even elephants — which isn’t hard to do against the stark white earth.
This uncommon camp was built on the knowledge of the Zu/’hoasi Bushmen, who are now counted among family. Accompany them on morning walks, where you’ll learn the history and culture of the region. At nightfall, a planetarium reveals itself in the firmament.
